Kemi Osukoya
January 3, 2021
LEADERSHIP
The President of the United States Donald J. Trump sought help from a State government official to overturn the 2020 Presidential election in his favor, according to an audio recording obtained by news media.
In what many political experts and presidential historians will deem inimical to American democracy and democratic societies around the world, during an hour plus recorded phone conversation with Georgia Secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, on Saturday, obtained by the Washington Post, President Trump implored and tried to persuade Raffensperger to commit election fraud to “find” nonexistent “11,780 votes” that will tip the electoral votes in his favor over the winner, President-elect Joe Biden.
Georgia, which holds 16 Electoral votes, is one of the nation’s 13 swing states and battlegrounds that are highly coveted by both parties-Democrat and Republican.
Trump’s latest flagrant attempt to overturn the November Presidential election comes a few days before the Georgia Senate runoff election on Jan. 5, which could shift political power in the U.S. Senate in favor of Democrats. The Congress also is scheduled to certify Biden’s election victory on Jan. 6 in preparation for his inaugural ceremony on January 20 as the 46th U.S. President.
Biden, who won victory over Trump in the 2020 Presidential election, was confirmed December 14 as the winner by the U.S. Electoral College with 306 votes versus 232 votes for Trump, formalizing Biden’s victory. However, Trump has refused to concede his loss. Instead the President has implored several failed legal attempts and conspiracy theories in efforts to overturn the results so he can hold on to power.
Also, President Trump has continued to urge his supporters to protest the November 5 election results and on Sunday said he plans to attend protests in Washington D.C. on the day that Congress is scheduled to certify Electoral college votes and declares President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Thousands of demonstrators are expected to attend the protests scheduled to take place at nation’s Capital at Washington Monument, Freedom Plaza and the Capitol.
A group of about a dozen of Congressional Republicans, including one-time Trump rival now ally Texas Senator Ted Cruz have sided with the President and are attempting to delay the Congress in authorizing Biden’s election victory Wednesday.
President Trump and President-elect Biden are scheduled to visit Georgia on Monday for a last minute campaigns to support their party Senate candidates.
